The education and care that CDL provides to campus and community families is extremely important. CDL families are economically diverse; approximately 1/3 of our children come from low-income families and are either receiving CCAP subsidies from the state, or are low-income student parents who receive tuition assistance via our CCAMPIS grant. 

• 160 children of U. of I. faculty, staff, students and local community members
• 44 teachers, 2 support staff, and 3 administrative team members
• 50+ student interns are trained each year
• 50+ U. of I. classes from 13 different departments across campus — last year, CDL hosted 3,272 student observations and 1,308 student class projects
• 14 faculty and graduate students use the CDL as a primary site for data collection to conduct research projects representing more than eight academic units across campus

What upgrades will the new building include? The CDL has limited observational equipment, while the ECDL has extensive microphone and camera facilities. This discrepancy constrains the ability of researchers to do longitudinal research, and it limits the ability of UIUC classes to incorporate the full developmental range in course assignments.

Are there plans to expand the CDL? As a school, CDL enrollment is “right-sized” for high-quality care and education. However, the research, teaching, and public engagement infrastructure could be expanded by 25% with upgraded facilities.

What else will the new building include? Neither of the current facilities has space conducive to public engagement activities — an upgraded expanded ECDL facility could make it possible to host pop-up clinics or community education programs. 

What are some of the safety issues? The existing CDL building is in poor condition and poses safety and accessibility concerns for children, staff, faculty, and UIUC students. As a licensed childcare facility, we are challenged to meet state and federal standards for health and safety. For example, lead testing is conducted every two years; in the last cycle, several water taps did not pass and therefore cannot be used.

What are some of the accessibility issues? The current CDL building was retrofitted for accessibility, but this includes only one wheelchair ramp to the first floor; there is only stairway access to the second floor, which prevents students with mobility impairments from being able to conduct observations as part of course assignments. 

What are some of the energy issues? The CDL building is profoundly energy inefficient with single-pane windows, ill-fitting external doors, and window-unit air conditioning. The vents are improperly placed leading to air quality and fire hazard concerns. Temperature control is minimal and there are days when the CDL must close due to heat hazards.

What are some of the opportunities afforded by a new building? A state-of-the-art facility would attract and retain talented faculty and students who want innovative research and educational opportunities.